Britain launches 10-year plan to save health service in crisis

LONDON (Reuters) -British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday will launch a 10-year strategy to save a National Health Service he said was in crisis, as he aims to alleviate the burden on overstrained hospitals and provide care closer to people's homes.

The state-run, publicly funded NHS has struggled to recover from the impact of COVID-19, endured annual winter crises and several waves of industrial action, and currently reports long backlogs for elective procedures.

Starmer has previously warned that the NHS must "reform or die" and pledged an overhaul of the system that would manage the rising costs of looking after an aging population without hiking taxes.

In a statement, Starmer said that his Labour Party had inherited a health system in crisis when it came to office one year ago, but that the plan would "fundamentally rewire and future-proof" the service.

The plan included establishing new health centres bringing a broader range of services under one roof. The government said that would free hospitals from "perpetual firefighting" and bring down waiting lists.

After a rocky first year in government marked by unpopular spending cuts - and in some cases followed by costly policy reversals - health care is one area where Starmer's party can claim some success.

It has delivered 4 million extra appointments - double its first year target - and cut waiting lists to a two-year low. Starmer said the NHS could not be fixed overnight, but that his government was "already turning the tide on years of decline".

Nevertheless, the government remains in an impasse with the pharmaceutical sector on drug pricing. It also faces possible fresh industrial action from healthcare staff and is yet to publish a promised strategy to fast-track development of the country's life sciences sector.

(Reporting by Alistair Smout)